Olympic Torch passes through Chester!

Yesterday the torch came through Chester, as I have lots of spare time on my hands at the moment, I volunteered to help marshal the event. 

I was stationed by the race course, where there was a huge show, which unfortunately I didn't get to see any off.

However I did mange to get a glimpse of the torch as it went past, but as I was technically supposed to be managing the crowd, my photos weren't that good.

 Here are some borrowed from various websites:

 

Inside the racecourse

 Fortunately I did actually get to hold one! So it was worth standing in the scorching heat in a highly attractive high vis jacket for 5 hours!

 

 There is also a local news video here.

After being placed on the reserve list for the PGCE, I received a letter saying that I been offered a place.
So, as of September I will be a student again! It is nice to have a plan for at least the next year and will hopefully bring me better career prospects long term and all that grown up stuff!

As my summer job hasn't started yet I have a lot of time on my hands. I have made all the birthday cards I need for the rest of the year, made all my Christmas cards and started ideas for Christmas presents. I figure that the PGCE is going to be pretty stressful and I know we have a deadline after Christmas so might as well get on top of things now!

I have also started the couch to 5k running plan (let's see how this goes!) and went for a walk up Helsby Hill at the weekend!

Also, today it is 7 years since I went to Brazil and volunteered with Cross-Cultural Solutions!
I have said many times on my blog about it being a life changing amazing experience and it really was.

I have been extremely fortunate and lucky to have had some fantastic experiences and meet so many wonderful people!

Let's hope my luck and adventures continue........

Shizzle Dizzle!

Since I have been reunited all with all my  crafty materials and have a lot of spare time on my hands, I have set up an Etsy Shop -

While having a mammoth clear out I found lots of old coins from my travels, and buttons so put them to good use.
I 'opened' the shop yesterday and within 5 hours had my first sale of a key chain to New Jersey!!
Have a look - Shizzle Dizzle!

So I had my PGCE Post-Compulsory Education and Training interview at Sheffield Hallam on Friday.

First we had a group talk. There were 5 of us, of very mixed age range and background. There was an older lady in her late 40's, 2 guys straight out of uni and a girl in her mid 20's. First we were told about the course and the placements etc and given a chance to ask questions.

I had my interview first, while the other 4 stayed in the room together to do the numeracy and literacy test. We were told that they would have no bearing on whether we were selected or not but were to identify where/if we needed support in the course.

I had prepared 5 pages of questions I had researched off the internet, that covered pretty much every questions I thought I could be asked. Things like how does your degree relate to the national curriculum (try answering that with a retail and exhibition design degree!), what are current issues in further education. I had swotted up on the Department of Education website, the TES website, memorised all the Education Ministers and all kinds.

The 20 minute interview was actually really easy. It was more about personality and showing them your passion for teaching. They are not there to test you on your knowledge of higher education/legislation etc.

The questions I can remember are:

• what qualities make a good teacher?
• what qualities do you have as a teacher?
• why did you decide to become a teacher?
• why have you decided to do the course now?
• why Sheffield?
• what are your weaknesses?

 They did emphasis that the course is very stressful and one of the questions was to give an example of when you had to be emotionally resilient and what you did to cope with it. They also asked what type of placement you would want. You have to be really specific here as they will need to sell you to a placement, as they need to know what you want.


The numeracy test was supposed to be 15 minutes, was 10 questions and was pretty easy. Questions like 'It is buy one get one free on fish fingers. They are £1.20, you have £5 how many can you get?

The literacy test was a sample of writing from a non native speaker, you had to identify excess words, insert missing words, explain mistakes and the meaning behind the mistakes. Then there were a few questions about the different tenses, stress and phonemes in words.

All in all, it was really not that stressful (especially after some of the interviews I have had coming back to the UK!!)

As I am hoping to specialise in ESOL, if they do accept me I would have to have another interview with the ESOL department as well.

They said they should let me know within 3 weeks. You either get a yes, no or a reserve. A reserve is they want you on the course but can't guarantee you a placement, so are looking for one.

So let's see.......

Journey Home

After 34 hours of travelling I have made it back to the UK!

My flight path was pretty long and hectic with loooong layovers. I flew from Joinville into to Congonhas and my flight out of Brazil was from Guarulhos.   

View Larger Map

As both flights were Tam I could get a free transfer bus from the airport.

TAM operates a free shuttle service between Congonhas (CGH) and Guarulhos (GRU). Details and the schedule can be found here.  There is also an Airport Bus Service that everyone can use.

TAM shuttle service

When walking out of baggage claim  at CGH you literally walk straight ahead down the ramp, following the signs to the bus/taxi area. The TAM buses are the first you come to when you cross over the road. There isn’t a sign but the buses were red, blue and white GTA ones. I just  asked a TAM pilot who was also waiting for the bus. There is one for the crew and one for passengers. The journey took about 1 hour and 10 minutes bearing in mind it was a Thursday morning, so no rush hour / holiday traffic. It drops you right outside TAM departures where you check in. 

It was all super smooth and easy, I think I wasn’t stressed as I had a 14 hour layover in SP! I was told I couldn't check in my baggage in until about 5 hours before the flight. So  I had 7 hours sitting by the check in desks. I think I asked the wrong person and probably could have done it earlier. Fortunately I had 254 hours of music, 344 books on my kindle and 6 movies to keep me occupied!

I slept for nearly all of my 12 hour flight to London and then had a 7 hour layover in London. It was originally 30 minutes but there is no way I would have made that and have no idea why TAM even put me on that one!

So back in the cold UK trying to figure out next steps!!

This weekend was spent at the beach, drinking beer, sunbathing and cooling off in the sea!

Fabio and I in the sea cooling off!

Happy Birthday Joinville!

On March 9th it is Joinville's 161st Birthday. In true Brazilian style it is a holiday! They need no excuse!

We are going to stay with friends again at Porto Belo Beach and this time round the weather looks like it will be sunny!!

An a completely different note. I won a competition today with I heart Vintage Button Bouquets. I looooove all of her work and she had a competition where you had to end in a colours and a theme. I chose red and cream with a Brazilian Carnival theme - and won! So now she is making me something with this information!

Have a look at her stuff!!